


Being Ma?

by evergrove



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Gender-Neutral Names for Parents, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Nonbinary Character, Parenthood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-18
Updated: 2017-08-18
Packaged: 2018-12-16 20:59:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11836947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evergrove/pseuds/evergrove
Summary: Henry still says "ma" and Em tries to deal with it, not succeeding very well. The two of them finally have a chat about how Henry should address Em. Set in the nonbinary!Emma Being Them Universe created by angstbot.





	Being Ma?

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Being Them](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9609554) by [angstbot](https://archiveofourown.org/users/angstbot/pseuds/angstbot). 



> BT-verse is really special to me for several reasons and I have strong headcanons about it. This is one of those. Thanks angstbot for creating this universe from my prompt.
> 
> Also, happy birthday angsty :-)

"Ma," Henry shouted and Em flinched. He had tried to talk about the way he should address Em on several occasions, but they had dodged the topic constantly and consistently. "We really need to talk about this. I know mom has tried too, but this is between you and me," he said, sitting next to Em on the bench. They had decided to wait Regina in the park while she had her last meeting of the week.

Em felt ashamed. The last thing they wanted was to make Henry feel awkward, and they'd thought they could handle being called "ma". It was just a word, and only Henry used it. Everyone else used "parent" and other gender neutral terms like they had requested.

"I've been doing some research. You have several options to choose from."

"Shouldn't that be your choice? I'm your, you know, parent, and if you wanna call me- that, I can handle it. It's just a word."

Henry rolled his eyes. "You can't even say it. I see how uncomfortable 'ma' makes you, I don't want that." Em nodded, and he continued. "So my research: I can call you just Em, lots of people call their parents by their first name. Then there's ren, renny, cennend, cenn, baba, moddy, pammy-"

The list seemed endless, and Em zoned out after pammy and an image of Pamela Anderson in a bikini. "Definitely not pammy," they blurted out and earned a chuckle from Henry.

"Yeah, I've been watching old Baywatch eps with Nick lately and just no."

"Your mom would have both our hides if she knew we were talking about Pam's assets," Em winked. "What was the last one on your list?"

"Nibi?"

"Yeah, that. I really don't know. You can call me Em, or if you wanna have a gender neutral name for me choose from ren, cenn or nibi. Those three I liked most."

Henry looked pleased. "I was hoping you'd say that. I like 'ren' best and then just your name." He turned and hugged them. "Thanks ren."

Em ruffled his hair and kept their arm around him. They felt relieved and a bit silly, all the worrying had been for nothing.

"My two favourite people in the world," said a familiar voice behind them. "You look cozy. Mind if I join you?"

"Ren and I have just been talking," Henry said and smiled at Regina's raised eyebrow while making room between the two of them.

Regina kissed Henry's cheek and then turned and stroked Em's cheek. "Ren. I like it. I like you," she looked them in the eye and kissed them. Em let out a happy sigh.

"I think this is my cue to leave. I'll be home by nine. Bye mom, bye ren," Henry laughed and headed towards his friends nearby.

"Do you know what this means?" Regina asked, her eyes full of mischief.

Em couldn't resist wrapping their arms around her. "Nope, tell me."

"Your Halloween costume will forever be Kylo Ren."


End file.
